Food insecurity, or limited or uncertain access to adequate food, has always been an issue for college students, but it has been exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic. As of 2022, 30 percent of all college students have experienced food insecurity at some point in their college careers (Gill, 2015). There is evidence that college students experiencing food insecurity regularly experience diminished capacity for success in their classroom performance (Food Insecurity, 2022). Because college students also often live in food deserts, the food they end up eating is mostly processed and fast foods which can lead to increased rates of obesity, stress, and depression (Obesity in US College Students, 2020). This can be explained by the fact that foods that are very calorie-dense tend to be cheaper, and much more filling, making these options more appealing to people with lower incomes, including college students (Morales and Berkowitz, 2016). Because food insecurity affects college students, and because of the detrimental effects of food insecurity, there needs to be more information that is readily available to college students regarding how to pull themselves out of food insecurity. In addition to minimizing food waste, it is important to volunteer at or donate goods to local food pantries as this can help fellow students who are struggling with large amounts of food scarcity.

Nearly one in eight people across the nation experience food insecurity and that number has drastically increased during the coronavirus pandemic (Nolte, 2021). Hunger is largely ignored in the United States because many of us do not like to acknowledge that there are issues that need to be addressed. Lance Whitney, the director of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program outreach for the Arkansas Hunger Relief Alliance said that “A lot of people don’t like to think that people actually do go hungry… The misconception that it doesn’t exist in America is incorrect” (Nolte, 2021). One report claims that over thirty-eight million people are going hungry in the United States, which is more than the entire population of Canada (Weber, 2019).

Most of the households serviced for hunger in the United States are not experiencing homelessness and have at least one working adult (Weber, 2019). The Federal Reserve Board recommends a $400 emergency expense fund, but according to Weber, if this were accurate, 40 percent of American adults would need to borrow money, sell something, or skip paying a bill or two to have enough money to feed themselves should a typical expense arise (flat tire, doctors visit, etc.,).

Seventy-two billion pounds of good food goes to waste every year in the United States, while thirty-eight million people simultaneously go hungry. Organizations like feeding America work to preserve billions of pounds of food to help support these hungry Americans, but it still is not enough (Weber, 2019). A lot of pressure has been placed upon businesses that throw out massive amounts of food to preserve their food that they do not sell, but it still suitable for consumption.

In addition to lowering food waste, donating to food banks is regularly considered to be a great way to help fight food insecurity. If donating food is not a viable option, volunteering with Feeding America is also a welcome solution (Smith, 2020).